West Virginia University students have led a training initiative through WVU’s LGBTQ+ Center to raise awareness of the intersections of race, color, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity.
West Virginia University students have led a training initiative through WVU’s LGBTQ+ Center to raise awareness of the intersections of race, color, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity. The trainings, which will continue, cover the history of racism and systemic discrimination; LGBTQ+ history and lessons from the civil rights movement; complexity of identity based on race/ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity; strategies for developing a cross-racial dialogue; and resources for intervening in bias, harassment and discrimination.
Quotes
“We are extremely thankful to the nearly 100 groups and classrooms who invited our LGBTQ+ ambassadors to talk about anti-racism and gender-inclusivity. We received outpouring support and messages of appreciation on how this discussion gave participants a new perspective about their majors and about life.”– Ellen Rodrigues, LGBTQ+ Center interim director
“At the Center, we’re constantly working on ways to get the message out about LGBTQ+ rights and how to integrate it into the community. Since the Center was closed during COVID-19, we wanted to focus our efforts online with interested faculty, students and staff. Our goals were to instruct people on modern theory surrounding race, inequality and bias and how it has affected us, currently affects us and how it will continue to affect us unless we decide as individuals to step up and be anti-racist.”
“A lot of our ‘clients’ are professors from classes where younger students are getting adjusted to college life and may not understand what anti-racism is. We want to make a good first impression by presenting our inclusivity policies and helping new students learn that being a Mountaineer means that we look out for each other.” – Daniel Gallegos, an Eberly College multidisciplinary student who helped to develop the training
Resources
Link to original story: Eberly College students lead gender inclusivity, anti-racism training at WVU.
Target Audiences
- WVU students
- WVU faculty and staff
- Individuals interested in diversity, equity and inclusion
- Individuals interested in history and culture
- Prospective students
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CONTACT: Katlin Swisher
Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
304-293-9264; Katlin.Swisher@mail.wvu.edu
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